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CC - Item 2C - Ordinance No. 948 - Second Reading Authorizing the City Engineer to Regulate Turn MovementsROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGER DATE: FEBRUARY 24, 2015 SUBJECT: ORDINANCE NO. 948 — SECOND READING: AUTHORIZING THE CITY ENGINEER TO REGULATE TURN MOVEMENTS SUMMARY On February 10, 2015, the City Council introduced Ordinance No. 948, authorizing the City Engineer to regulate or prohibit any turn movement by any vehicle at any specific intersection or along any specific street segment within the city limits. Ordinance No. 948 is now before Council at the required second reading for adoption. Staff Recommendation Staff requests that City Council ADOPT Ordinance No. 948 at its second reading. PUBLIC NOTICE PROCESS This item has been noticed through the regular agenda notification process. j ared by: G OR IA MOLLEDA CITY CLERK AttachmentA — Ordinance No. 948 ITEM NUMBER: ORDINANCE NO. 948 AN ORDINANCE OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD AUTHORIZING THE CITY ENGINEER TO REGULATE OR PROHIBIT ANY TURN MOVEMENT BY ANY VEHICLE AT ANY SPECIFIC INTERSECTION OR ALONG ANY SPECIFIC STREET SEGMENT WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS WHEREAS, the City desires to regulate turn movements, including right turns, left turns, and U- Turns, in order to promote the safe flow of traffic at specific intersections and street segments within the City limits; and, WHEREAS, the California Vehicle Code, section 22113, local authorities may prohibit or regulate turn movements at specific intersections and street segments within the City limits; and, WHEREAS, the City of Rosemead Traffic Commission recommended that an ordinance by adopted to allow the City Engineer to regulate turn movements throughout the City as necessary to promote a safe flow of traffic within the City. NOW, THEREFORE, THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF ROSEMEAD DOES ORDAIN AS FOLLOWS: Section 1 . The City Council of the City of Rosemead hereby adds new Section 10.04.060 to the City of Rosemead Municipal Code to read as follows: Section 10.040.060 — AUTHORITY OF THE CITY ENGINEER TO REGULATE TURN MOVEMENTS A. It is hereby determined and declared that the City Engineer is authorized to prohibit or regulate any turn movement by any vehicle at any intersection or along specific street segments. B. The City Engineer shall have the power and duty to place, maintain and /or remove official traffic - control devices where, when, and as required under this ordinance with the approval of the City Manager. C . Restricted Turns: The City Engineer shall determine those intersections or street segments at which drivers shall not make a right turn, left turn, or U -turn and shall cause to be placed proper signs at these intersections or street segments. The making of such turns may be prohibited at all times or during certain hours or days and permitted at other hours, provided this information is clearly posted on proper signage. D. The City Engineer shall determine those intersections or segments between intersections at which drivers shall not make a right turn, left turn, or U -turn and shall present the findings to the Traffic Commission for concurrence; Pursuant to Traffic Commission concurrence, the findings shall be published once in a newspaper of general circulation, published in the City of Rosemead. Fifteen days after such publication, the City Engineer shall cause to be placed proper signs at these intersections. The making of such turns may be prohibited between certain hours or certain days and permitted at other hours, with this information clearly posted. PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED THIS 24 DAY OF FEBRUARY, 2015. William Alarcon Mayor ATTEST: Gloria Molleda City Clerk APPROVED AS TO FORM: Rachel H. Richman City Attorney ROSEMEAD CITY COUNCIL STAFF REPORT TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL FROM: JEFF ALLRED, CITY MANAGER DATE: FEBRUARY 10, 2015 SUBJECT: ORDINANCE NO. 948 — AUTHORIZING THE CITY ENGINEER TO REGULATE TURN MOVEMENTS SUMMARY In November 2014, the Traffic Commission reviewed concerns and inquiries regarding dangerous turn movements and the City's ability to regulate these turn movements for the purpose of traffic safety. Most specifically, the community voiced concerns regarding U -Turns being made midblock, as opposed to at an intersection, and the safety hazards these turn movements create. California Vehicle Code, section 22103, allows for U -Turn movements to be made midblock, provided there are no oncoming vehicles within 200 feet. Although these movements are permissible in certain cases, the City does have the ability to regulate turn movements, for safety purposes, by way of ordinance. The Traffic Commission, based on discussion at the November 2014 meeting, recommended the introduction of an ordinance that would allow the City Engineer to regulate certain turn movements along specific segments of streets or at particular intersections. This ordinance was first presented to the City Council on January 10, 2015 and at that time the Council expressed concern regarding the procedure and implementation of the ordinance, especially as related to public vetting and notification. Staff has revisited this ordinance and addressed the concerns of the Council by including Traffic Commission review and publishing the regulations prior to implementation. Staff Recommendation It is recommended that the City Council introduce Ordinance No. 948, adding section 10.04.060 to the Rosemead Municipal Code, authorizing the City Engineer to regulate turn movements within the City. BACKGROUND Traffic regulations within the City of Rosemead are included in the Municipal Code, under Chapter 10, Vehicles and Traffic. Specifically, Section 10.04 adopts Title 15, Vehicles and Traffic, of the Los Angeles County Code as an ordinance of the City of ITEM NO. E''M City Council Meeting February 10, 2015 Page 2 of 3 Rosemead, which regulates traffic law within the City. Certain provisions continue to be added to this chapter to regulate certain traffic and parking issues that are specific to the City of Rosemead. In November 2014, the Traffic Commission reviewed and discussed concerns from the community related to dangerous turn movements. Specifically, there was concern regarding the City's ability to prevent vehicles from making U -Tums in the middle of blocks, rather than at an intersection, and the dangerous conditions these turn movements create. Although provisions of the California Vehicle Code permit these turn movements to be made, the California Vehicle Code also permits local agencies (cities) to regulate or prohibit certain turn movements at particular intersections or along specific street segments within the City limits. Adoption of the attached ordinance would authorize the City Engineer to restrict or prohibit certain turn movements as necessary to protect the safety of the public. As matter of procedure, the City Engineer will review areas where there is concern regarding unsafe traffic conditions. These reviews would be initiated through requests from the community, recommendations of the Traffic Commission, or staff observations. A thorough review would be conducted to investigate the conditions in the given area and determine what measures are necessary to improve traffic safety, including the regulation of turn movements. Once the City Engineer has made findings related to the regulation of turn movements at a specific intersection or along a segment of street, these findings will be presented to the Traffic Commission for review and concurrence. This presentation to the Traffic Commission would allow for public review and comment prior to implementation. Upon the concurrence of the Traffic Commission, the City will notice the turn regulations once in a newspaper of general circulation. Fifteen days after the publication of the notice, the City Engineer will direct the installation of the proper signage at these intersections, or along these street segments, to clearly convey the turn movement that is being restricted and any other parameters. All signage will be posted in conformance with the Manual for Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), which provides standards for the installation of traffic signs. Upon installation of the signage, any violations of the turn restrictions would be enforceable by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. The concerns regarding turn movements originated from complaints of these issues adjacent to schools in the City. Frequently, vehicles have been observed making unsafe U -Turns in high traffic school areas, creating unsafe conditions. Upon the adoption of this ordinance, the City Engineer and staff would review the conditions around all local elementary schools, and restrict turn movements as appropriate. Future applications of this ordinance would be reviewed based on community requests and staff observations. City Council Meeting February 10, 2015 Page 3 of 3 Prepared by: Sean Sullivan Acting Public Works Manager afael M. Fajardo, P.E. City Engineer Submitted by: S �^ Matt Rawke orth Assistant City Manager /Acting Director of Public Works Attachments: 1. Ordinance No. 948